You're The Best Thing
by Catharine Carter
Summary: Troy Bolton has to raise his daughter after his high school girlfriend dies while giving birth. Will he be the father his daughter needs him to be? Does his life begin and end with his daughter?
1. This is Tressa

"You are the best thing I've ever done," I told my daughter as I looked at her laying fast asleep in her bed after I got home from my last night class. I was tired and ready to pass out, but I still had a paper to write and I knew she needed some cookies made for her class party tomorrow. Being a full-time father, a full-time student and a working at the clinic was a lot for one man to do all on his own. When they tell you you shouldn't have sex until you're married, or until you're consenting adults at least, it really is wise advice. Lots of teenagers really don't know what they're getting themselves into. And a lot of them don't even get pregnant when they do have sex. Sharpay and I didn't know what we were getting into. I wasn't in love with Sharpay. But she was the most popular girl in school. I was the most popular guy in school. We had been dating since the end of our sophomore year. Everyone just expected us to be together. She said she loved me. I said the obligatory "me too," but I didn't mean it. We were together because of social obligation. And when she got pregnant half way through our senior year, I was tempted to tell her to abort the baby, even though I didn't believe in abortion. I wasn't going to marry her. I wasn't in love with her, and I was sure a part of her knew I didn't love her. Her parents tried to get me to marry her even though we were still in high school, but it wasn't going to happen. I was not going to marry her. I didn't know if it was because I wasn't in love with her or what, I just didn't want to marry her.

I didn't hate her though. Even though I didn't love her, I didn't hate her. We fucked. It wasn't as though we were just together because everyone expected us to be. I just wasn't in love with her. Sharpay's parents did everything they could to entice me to marry her, even though she kept telling them to stop. They paid for our apartment at U of A. They paid my tuition. But we still didn't get married. And on the day our baby girl was born, it was just the two of us at the hospital, the way we had planned it. I was a nervous wreck. I had never planned on being a parent. But I guess when you get drunk at a party and forget to use a condom with your girlfriend, you pay for it. I don't regret it now, but I sure as hell did back then. I'll never forget the day she was born though, even if I can't remember the night she was conceived. We arrived at the hospital almost a half hour after she came to me telling me her water broke. They had her in delivery and everything seemed to be flying by. I didn't know what was happening. They told her to push and she started pushing. I told her she was doing an amazing job and then I heard my baby girl star to cry. I never thought I could hear a more amazing sound in my life followed by a scarier sound. I didn't know what it was. That hospital machine beeping sound when someone is dead. They pulled me from the room and I was about ready to tear the attendants' arms off for laying their hands on me. I didn't know why they wouldn't let me see my baby. What was wrong with her? I was confused. But when the doctor came out, they told me my baby girl was perfect. Sharpay, however... was not. She had died giving birth to my daughter.

Sharpay died giving birth to my daughter. She had an aneurism and there was nothing they could do. Sex had nothing to do with her dying. Her having a baby had nothing to do with her dying. Her giving birth had nothing to do with her dying. She just died. I could sit around and blame myself for her dying, but in the end, she's just dead. And now I'm a single, twenty-four year old father working to make my daughter happy. And I think for the most part she is. She's the happiest little girl I'd ever seen. Not that I know many children. My little sister, probably the only other kid I know, but that's not saying much. Yeah, I have a little sister. That was a surprise just as much as me having a kid was to my parents. But at least my daughter has some one to grow up with. My mom liked having the two of them around and she was the one who took care of my daughter the most. I wish I had more time to spend with her, but with my job and classes, I spent all the time I could with her. But she knows I love her, and that's all that matters at the end of the day.

I knew mom would have made the cookies for her if I would have told her, but I liked doing these things for my daughter, besides, I could write my paper for class while the cookies baked. The things you could accomplish while you multitasked. You learned to do those types of things as a parent. I didn't mind learning to do more than one thing at once. Who would? Sharpay never liked doing more than one thing at a time. If she ever had to do more than one thing, she would have screamed. I never could have spent the rest of my life with her. I knew sooner or later I would have had to marry her. I knew it would have been sooner rather than later too. It wouldn't have been fair to my baby girl. Life isn't fair to her as it is, not to have both of her parents in it. I never would have been in love with her, but I would have pretended for my daughter. There wasn't anything I wouldn't do for her. She was the best thing that ever happened to me. Every time I looked down into her blue eyes that mirrored my own I could never say no to her. She wouldn't even have to ask me. I knew she'd want me to be married to her mommy and I'd do it. I knew Sharpay would want it and I would have done it. But Sharpay was gone now and there was no reason to think about the would have beens. It was just my daughter and me now.

I leaned down, pressing my lips against the top of her head, whispering softly against her ear, "I love you, Tressa. Sleep well." Standing up, I left the door open just enough to let the light from the hall in slightly and walked down toward the kitchen. It was barely after eight o'clock and I knew I'd still be up until at least midnight before I was even walking into my bedroom. Flipping on the light in the kitchen, I pulled out the ingredients for the cookies and the bowl and stuff for mixing the cookies before turning on the radio. The volume was set low because the only time I ever listened to it was when Tress was fast asleep and I didn't want to wake her up anyway. I washed my hands and turned to the oven before going back to start mixing the cookies together. Chocolate chip with M&Ms. They were Tressa's favorite. I always made them for her when she had to take a treat to school. Once I had them mixed and on the tray and in the oven, I pulled out my laptop from my bag and sat down at the kitchen table, continuing my paper I had started writing earlier. It wasn't due until next week, but I was doing some on it here and there that way when I had to turn it in on Tuesday I'd feel comfortable with the work I had done on it. By the time the cookies were done and I'd written a few pages on my paper, it was just after midnight and I decided to call it a night. I put my laptop away and turned off the light. Peeking my head in on Tress, I smiled before crossing the hall into my bedroom, closing the door against the frame but not shutting it all the way. If Tressa ever needed me, I didn't want her freaking out with a door handle.

I changed into my pajama bottoms and tank top before climbing into bed. Tress went to school with Sophie, my litte sister at nine, and I had to be to work by nine also, so I dropped Tressa off at my parents' house at a quarter to before heading to the clinic. that's how our Weekdays worked. Our weekends were ours. I didn't work on the weekend and I didn't take classes either. Sometimes we spent time with Grandpa Jack and Grandma Lucy or Grandpa and Grandma Evans. Sometimes Uncle Ryan would fly in from New York, but for the most part, the weekends were just for Tress and me, and Tress liked to spend the weekends alone with me. Sometimes we'd go to the ABQ BioPark. Or we'd go down to Cliff's and ride the rides. The season didn't start until April, but we'd ride the family rides but she would ride the kiddieland rides and she couldn't go on some of the water rides, but she loved the place as much as I did. It didn't matter what we did, the two of us enjoyed what we did, even if we spent the entire day running around in our pajamas. We'd watch Saturday morning cartoons with cereal and she'd help me with dishes and then we'd have picnic in the middle of the living room floor for lunch and then we'd cook dinner together and pass out on my bed watching a Disney cartoon. Then we'd wake up Sunday morning and go to Starbucks for breakfast. She'd have a hot chocolate and a raspberry scone. It was something her mother would always order. I had told her that the first time she had picked it out and she got it and she got it every single time. I got my usual, coffee, black and a bowl of oatmeal with nuts. After breakfast, we'd take a walk through Roosevelt Park. We'd walk around for a while, and then she'd play on the play ground before having lunch down the street at the 66 Diner. We would both get their spaghetti and meatballs and two large glasses of milk. Of course it's not my mom's spaghetti, but on weekends when we spent time with Grandpa Jack and Grandma Lucy and Sophie, my mom would make dinner for us and those were nights when we'd get the really good meals.

I woke up the next morning with Tressa sitting on my stomach smiling down at me. "Good morning, Daddy." I looked up into my daughter's perfect blue eyes, smiling at her out of my still sleepy eyes. My alarm still hadn't gone off, so I knew it was still early in the morning. The sun wasn't even up yet. "Morning, angel girl. What you doing up so early?" She laid down, resting her head on my chest. "I missed you, Daddy." Smiling, I ran my hand over her head, letting my fingers play with the ends of a lock of her hair. "I missed you too, Tress. Did you sleep well?" She nodded against my chest and I could hear her smile when she answered, "Yes, Daddy." She sat back up, looking down at me. "Did you make my cookies for my party?" I laughed up at her, nodding. "Yes, angel. I made your cookies. They're already to go. Should we get you dressed for school?" She jumped up off the bed and grabbed my hand, pulling me from the bed. "Come on, Daddy!" I dragged myself out of my bed, letting her pull me behind her out of the bed and out of my room across the hall, into her room. "What did you want to wear today?" She opened her closet and pulled out a pink dress with a white poodle on the skirt. "This one, Daddy." I shook my head. She was just like her mother. She may not be spoiled rotten like Sharpay was, I'd like to think I had taught her better, with the help of my parents, but things she ate, things she liked to wear, she was just liked her mother, and I wouldn't change that for the world. I liked her being girly like that. I actually loved having a girl. I really did. It probably would have been easier having a boy, but mom was a lot of help and with Sophie around everything just seemed to be really easy. I wouldn't have changed the past five years for anything.

Not that I'm happy that Sharpay is dead. I don't want her dead, but things were good as they are. I loved my daughter and I loved life the way we lived it. I looked forward to life after I got through college. I won't be playing ball for the Redhawks anymore, but basketball season only lasted a few months and I wasn't going to be in school much longer thankfully. Two more years. I loved playing ball and it helped fund my way through school. I wasn't taking money from Mr. and Mrs. Evans. I had moved out of the apartment they had bought for Sharpay and me not long after Tress was born. I wasn't going to live off them or what they had done for us. They did enough for Tressa, and I wasn't going to stop them from doing things for their granddaughter. They could spoil her all they wanted, as long as she didn't let it go to her head. And she didn't. I kept her grounded well enough with the help of my parents and Ryan didn't let her become spoiled either. Ryan and I had become as close as we could get with him living in New York. Tress loved when her Uncle Ry would visit, usually over the weekends, which was good, which meant I could spend time with him too. He and I didn't spend a lot of time together when we were in high school. Sharpay was selfish and had to have me all to herself. She never liked to hang out with a lot of other people. It was usually just her and me. Which was probably why we were always having sex. Not that I really minded. Fucking her was probably the only times with her I actually forgot that we weren't a big joke. Our daughter did come from one of our many indiscretions. I wouldn't have changed anything that happened between Sharpay and me. My daughter was the best thing I ever did and I wouldn't change anything concerning Tressa.

I helped her pull her arms through her dress as I heard my alarm go off in my bedroom. "Get some socks out of your drawer. Daddy needs to go take a shower," I told her as I zipped up the zipper, making sure not to get her hair caught in it. "Daddy, can we do my hair in braids today?" I hung my head as I stood up to walk out the door, nodding. "Yes, angel girl. We can do your hair in braids today." She squealed and I walked out of the door shaking my head. That squeal was one of the things that had annoyed me the most about Sharpay, but coming from my daughters little mouth brought a smile the size of Texas to my mouth. Funny how things that annoyed me the most about Sharpay I loved the most about my daughter. I quickly turned off the alarm that was beginning to weigh like a jackhammer into my brain and tossed my pajamas onto my bed before tossing my boxers into the dirty clothes hamper and into the shower. Letting the hot water drench over my body, I took a quick shower before getting out and grabbing my towel and walking out into my bedroom and over to the dresser. Pulling out a pair of jeans and a Langford clinic shirt for work and a pair of boxers before tossing them on the bed and drying myself off. I laid the towel on the bed and dried myself off before getting dressed and pulling on my socks and tennis shoes and heading back into Tressa's room where she was brushing her hair. "Pink bows daddy?" I shook my head, sitting down on her bed behind her. "Yes, angel girl. Pink bows." She jumped up in front of me handing me a comb, two elastics and the pink bows to wrap around the elastics. I was glad mom had taught me how to do this. I knew how much Tress loved having her hair played with and made pretty, and I wouldn't pass up any time with her in the mornings or at night after I picked her up from my parents' place.

"Daddy, tell me about Mommy," she asked me, curling her legs up underneath her poodle dress. I took a deep breath, parting her hair down the middle of her head, laying half of it over her shoulder. "What would you like to know, baby girl?" She always liked to know something different. "Mommy liked to sing, right?" I nodded. "She did." Tress started playing with the ribbons in her little fingers. "What was her favorite song, Daddy?" I just knew she was going to get me to sing, and there was no way I was going to sing anything Sharpay would have sang while she was on stage, so I had to think of something that we would have listened to together, something she had said she had liked when it was just the two of us. "Well, you want to know what song she used to say was our song, your daddy and your mommy's song?" She looked up at me, pulling every strand I had started to braid out of my hands and it took everything I had not to start laughing. "YESSSSS, Daddy! Can you sing it to me?" I pulled her up onto my lap, hugging her to me, kissing the side of her head. "I've got it on my .mp3 player in my room. IF you really want me to sing, I'll sing WITH the song on my .mp3 player. It's a duet. I can't really sing it by myself. Maybe you can learn the words and I'll sing it with you, if you'd like?" She turned around on my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck. "Daddy, I love you. I love you! I love you!" She hopped up off my lap, taking the elastics and ribbons with her. "Get the comb, Daddy! You can do my hair while you sing! COME ON!" She ran out of her bedroom and across the hall toward my room as I followed behind.

She climbed up on the bed, tucking her legs up under her dress, laying the elastics and ribbons on the bed. "Come on, Daddy, SING!" I chuckled, walking over to my desk, picking up my .mp3 player and cycling through to the Usher folder. I selected the song and plugged it into the pod, turning it up. I never knew WHY Sharpay wanted this to be our song, probably just because she really liked Usher or because she thought he was hot or something, I don't know, but she wanted this to be our song. And she was always calling me her boo too, so I just let her have it. I didn't like arguing with her either. Arguing always ended with her crying, and that was something I didn't like from her or Tress. It was annoying from Sharpay and from Tressa, my heart just wanted to break in to pieces. I avoided making either of them cry at all expenses. "There's always that one person that will always have your heart," I knew the moment I started singing this song, Tress was going to think that I was in love with her mommy and would always be. I wasn't ever going to tell her differently, so there wasn't any harm in it. She should believe her parents were in love. I kinda looked at it like Santa. A little lie parents told children to make them happy. It wouldn't hurt her any. "You never see it coming cuz you're blinded from the start. Know that you're that one for me. It's clear for everyone to see. Oh, baby... You will always be my boo! Oh!" I started dancing toward Tressa and she started giggling. "It's the only way we know how to rock! Oh!" I crawled up on the bed in front of my daughter picking her up and sitting her on my lap. "It's the only way we know how to rock!" I repeated myself, getting into the music dancing on the bed with my daughter.

"Do you remember, girl, I was the one who gave you your first kiss?" I kissed Tress quickly and she giggled, I saw the red filling her cheeks as she blushed, her shoulders picking up as she hung her head down slightly. "Cuz I remember, girl, who said 'Put your lips like this.' Even before all the fame and people screaming your name, girl, I was there, and you were my baby." Tressa smiled, wrapping her arms around my neck, listening as I continued to sing along with the song I probably hadn't listened to in months at least, maybe years. "It started when we were younger, you were mine. Now another brothers taken over but it's still in your eyes. Even though we used to argue, its alright. It's alright, girl, that's ok. I know we haven't seen each other in a while, but you will always be ok." And Alicia Keys started singing and I pulled Tress closer to me. "Your mommy did have a really pretty voice. Prettier than Alicia Keys." She looked up at me from where she sat on my lap. "Who's Alicia Keys?" I laughed. "The girl singing with the guy on this song." She nodded, asking, "What's his name?" I laughed again, or still. "Usher." She crinkled her nose, shaking her head. "That's a silly name, Daddy!" I continued to laugh and she looked over my shoulder and then back at me. "Usher is singing, Daddy. SING!" I laughed more, trying to stop laughing as I continued singing. "...were mine. Still in your eyes. It's alright. I know we haven't seen each other in a while. When we were younger. Is it in your eyes. It's alright now. I know we haven't seen each other. You will always be myyyyy. Ooooh. My oh! My oh! My oh! My oh! My booooo! My Ooooooh! My boooo! You were mine. It's alright. I don't know about y'all, but I know about us, and uh, it's the only way we know how to rock! I don't know about y'all, but I know about us, and uh, it's the only way we know how to rock! It started when we were young girl!" The music faded out and another Usher song, one from a few years back started playing.

"I like that song, Daddy!" My smile didn't fade as I held her against me, climbing off the bed, holding her as I walked over to turn off the .mp3 player. I didn't want my daughter listening to _Love in This Club_. It didn't seem appropriate for my five year old daughter to be listening to. "Hey, I liked that song too, Daddy!" She giggled, holding onto my neck. I laughed, walking back over to the bed. "Have you ever even heard that song before?" She shook her head as I sat her down with her on my lap after I sat back down. "No, but it sounded good!" I laughed more, picking up the comb again, parting her hair again, laying half of it over her shoulder again. "It's not a good song for a five year old." She crossed her feet together, letting them bounce slightly. "Daddy?" I turned her slightly on my lap, separating the strands of her hair to start braiding it. "Yes, angel girl?" She was quiet for a second before asking, "If it's not a good song for me, why is it a good song for you?" I took a slow breath, nodding my head. "That's a very good question. I guess it's really not, Tress. You're a very smart little girl." I kissed the top of her head and leaned closer to her. "Elastic?" She held one up for me. "Here you go, Daddy!" I took it from her. "Thank you!" I wrapped the elastic around her hair, leaning forward again. "Ribbon?" She held up one of the ribbons for me. "One pink ribbon." I smiled, taking the ribbon from her. "And thank you again." She giggled. "You're welcome, Daddy!" I tied the ribbon in a bow before turning her to face the other direction on my lap, starting to braid the other side of her hair. "Daddy?" She asked after I was halfway down the braid. "Yes, angel girl?" She bounced her legs a little more. "Did Mommy like her hair braided?" I nodded my head. "When Mommy was really young like you, she wore her hair braided a lot," I told her, remembering Sharpay Evans used to have her hair braided just like Tress did. "But when she was older, she kept her hair straight. She did like Daddy to play with it though." Something that I didn't like to do. I didn't mind running my fingers through my daughter's hair now though. In fact, there were several times I caught myself absentmindedly doing it when we'd be watching TV or she'd be laying on my bed with me when I'd be reading one of my textbooks. It put her to sleep sometimes. She really liked it, as much as Sharpay did, and I would do it for her if she'd ever asked, just liked I had for Sharpay, but I never grumbled for my baby girl. "Elastic?" She handed me an elastic and I wrapped it around the end of the braid. "Ribbon?" She handed me the ribbon. "Thank you, angel girl!" She giggled, turning to wrap her arms around my neck. "Thank you for braiding my hair, Daddy!" She hugged me tightly and then jumped off my lap, running out of the bedroom. "Breakfast time! I choose TOASTER WAFFLES." With as much time as we had to get to Grandma Lucy and Grandpa Jack's before I had to leave for work, I wasn't going to argue with her on this one. I would wait and take a cup of mom's coffee to go. That would be enough for me until I had time for lunch.

"Tressssss!" I heard Sophie's scream coming from the top of the stairs only seconds before we saw her are the bottom of them the moment we walked in the door and Tressa ran over to meet her aunt half way. "What am I, chop liver?" I asked her as the girls ran off toward the TV room? "No TV, girls!" Mom called out to them as I walked over to her, kissing her on the cheek. "Good morning, Mom." Sophie called back. "When my niece is around? Yes!" I shook my head, taking a coffee thermos out of the cupboard. "When isn't she around?" I called back to her. "Exactly." Mom and I both laughed between the two of us, not loud enough for the five-year-olds to hear us. "Seven forty as usual?" She asked, leaning against the counter as I poured the dark liquid into the thermos. I shook my head. "I don't have my usual last class for the evening. We have a test on Monday, so we're supposed to meet up with our study groups during class time. I'm going to come home early. So if you want to make a little extra dinner," I told her, smiling over at her, "I'd like to join the four of you." I knew that would make my mom's day. "Yes, I'll make extra. Should I make yours and Tressa's favorite? Spaghetti and meatballs?" I nodded, setting the coffee pot down. "That would be perfect, Mom, thanks." I twisted the lid onto the thermos, leaning over and giving her a hug before walking over to the TV room. "Hey, angel girl. Does your daddy get a hug before he walks out the door for the day?" She turned around and stood up on the couch opening her arms wide for me. I walked over, wrapping my arms around her tight as she wrapped her arms around my neck tightly. "I love you, Tress." She kissed the side of my neck, still not letting me go. "I love you, Daddy! Come home to me safely!" I smiled, kissing the side of her head. "I will, baby girl." I kissed her again, taking a step back and she dropped her arms to her side. I rubbed the top of my sister's head and she pushed my hand aside. "Hey, I just brushed my hair, Troy!" I laughed. "Well, now you have to do it again!" She glared back at me, yelling, "Mooooom! Tell Troy to go to work!" I laughed, shaking my head as I walked back into the kitchen. "Mom, tell me to go to work." She laughed, shaking her head at me. "Troy, go to work!" I laughed some more. "Ok, Mom. See you for dinner." She laughed, shaking her head as I walked out the door.


	2. Meeting With Patients

I parked my car in my usual parking space. We didn't have assigned parking spaces, but everyone usually parked in the same parking spaces and I liked mine. It wasn't too close to the door and it wasn't too close to the road either. I engaged the alarm and let my keys drop into my briefcase/purse before pulling the strap up over my shoulder, trying to balance my skinny cinnamon dulce latte. "Are you staying with me or your parents when you come, Tay?" I asked my best friend over the phone continuing the conversation we've been having for the past five minutes since she got out of her third class of the morning. "You, Gabby. It will upset my mom, but I'd much rather stay with you!" I smiled, walking into the building. I smiled at the receptionists and they pressed the button to allow me back into the rest of the building and I opened the other door and headed back toward my office. "Alright, I'll get your bedroom ready." I walked down the hall as I heard Taylor talking to one of her study buddies. "I'll see you at 3:20, Reggie," she told them before talking back into the phone with me. "Thank you, Gabriella, my flight arrives at 7:15 tomorrow night." I smiled brightly, turning down the hall toward my office. "I'll be there at baggage claim to pick you up," I told her, making a mental note to be there at baggage claim at 7:15 so that I was there right when she got there and we could leave when we got her bags and go. I was so excited she was coming. I haven't seen her in months. Spending Spring Break with her, even though I had to work was going to be so much fun. "Oh, Chad said no excuses this time, you two are meeting!" I opened the door to my office, flipping on the light and closing the door behind me. "I can't wait, Tay! I really can't!" I sat latte down on my desk before pulling my briefcase off of my shoulder and laying it down on my desk chair and sitting down in front of it, flipping up the laptop on my desk and turning it on. "Neither can I, Gabriella! It's been long enough!" I smiled, crossing one leg over the other as let my leg bounce while I sat in my chair, typing my password into my computer with one hand. "I know, Taylor. But I promise you. We'll make it happen this time. You set it up with Chad and it will happen." I picked up my latte, taking a sip. "Ok, Gabriella. I have to get to my next class. I'll talk to you later. I love you!" Setting the Starbucks cup down, I brought up my schedule for the day up. "I love you, Tay. Bye." I pushed the end button on my phone and turned to slide in the pocket on my briefcase where I kept my phone before turning back to the computer screen.

My day was completely full. I had appointments from now until I left at 6. Two were new appointments and one was actually a patient that I wouldn't be seeing anymore after today. They wouldn't be needing my services after today. It was good when a patient wasn't in need of services anymore, as long as they weren't worse, but if they were better and they didn't need counseling anymore, I couldn't be happier. Sometimes it was sad that I wasn't going to be counseling patients anymore. Sometimes you became close with patients and you didn't like to stop seeing them for one reason or another. You weren't supposed to become friends with your patients, but sometimes it just happened and you couldn't help it, especially with children. They are just so cute and they wrap you around their little fingers, and they say the cutest things. And sometimes they are just so so sad and you just want to wrap your arms around them and hold them and make them feel better. But my job actually prohibits me from hugging children. There are cameras installed, and they can hug me, but I can't hug them. Same rules are in place for adults as well. We're not allowed to hug any patients, but if they hug it's not like we're going to push them off of us. That would defeat the purpose of counseling most of the time. The intercom on my office phone went off before one of the receptionists voices sounded. "Gabriella, Hannah Winnick is here." I pushed the button to talk back to the receptionists. "Thank you, Shanelle." I stood up, picking my briefcase up off my chair, leaning up against the inside of my desk before opening my office door and leaving my office to walk out toward the waiting room.

I opened the door to the waiting room, smiling at Hannah. "Come back, Hannah." The blonde who wasn't much younger than me stood from where she sat on one of the couches and walked over to me, handing me the weekly survey of her moods and walking into the back with me. I walked with her down the hallway back toward my office. "How are you this morning, Hannah?" She wrung her hands in front of her she quietly answered. "Good." It was her usual answer. She never answered truthfully. Even if I could tell things weren't good with her, she'd never say she wasn't having a good day or a bad day. But at least she was here seeking out counseling. I was glad she was. She was one of my high risk patients and when she didn't show up to her appointments I really got worried. She liked to cut her wrists and she'd done so on more than one occasion. She'd been hospitalized on more than one occasion and I worried about her, sometimes more than a lot of my other patients. So when she showed up to her appointments I was very happy to see her. She didn't open up much to me, but the little she did talk to me I was glad she did. I opened the door to my office and let her walk in ahead of myself. "Pick a seat," I told her, letting her choose between one of the recliners, which she could keep vertical or recline, or the couch. She walked in and sat down on one of the recliners, curling her legs up under her body, resting her arms in her lap. "Would you like something to drink?" I asked her, picking up my latte. She shook here head and I took the latte beside her and crossed one leg over the other, making sure my skirt didn't ride too far up my thigh as I sat back in the seat. Sometimes Hannah and I sat here the entire hour not saying a word the entire time. Sometimes she would speak. I hoped each time she would speak. I could never tell at the beginning of the session whether this would be a time she would speak or not. It wasn't as though she did something one way or another to say she would speak today or not. But I liked it when she would speak. At least she would help herself out. Plus, I didn't like to sit around in silence for a whole hour. Well, it wasn't complete silence. There was the sound coming from the 5 foot waterfall against the waterfall against the opposite wall. It was a relaxing sound and I could sit and listen to that instead of the silence.

She decided not to be quiet this time though. I took a sip of my latte and stretched my arms out over my legs, crossing my wrists at my knees, resting my latte there, asking her. "Are you ready for spring break?" She leaned back against the back of the recliner. "It's still a week away and we have finals next week, so … I guess so." I had forgotten that schools didn't have spring breaks at the same time, especially schools in different states. "How are you doing in your classes?" She lifted her shoulders in a soft shrug. "Ok, I guess," she said, her usual nonchalant responses. I never liked to push her, but I wanted her to open up to me. Sometimes I wished she would tell me exactly how she was feeling. Sometimes she lied. Sometimes she fell apart on me. It was those appointments I had with her when I wanted to wrap my arms around her and let her cry into my shoulder. Sometimes she asked for it and I did as she asked. I considered her my friend, as much as I could be, her my patient. But I couldn't get too close as a therapist. I had to keep my emotional distance, but I had to be there for her as well. She had to know I was there for her, the way I was there for all of my patients, but I had to be there for patients like her especially. I didn't want them doing anything drastic, like she has a few times since I've been her therapist. They had to know I was there for them anyway they needed. And I was. I was dedicated to my patients and I always would be. It was part of the reason why I became a psychologist. I enjoyed being able to help people, and when I wasn't able to help them, I felt helpless.

As I felt helpless about my father. He'd probably been in that hospital in Providence, Rhode Island, for the past 13 years, since I was eleven at least. When Mama no longer felt safe for herself or me, she had daddy committed. I missed him, even to this day, but I knew that's why I had gone into psychiatry. I wanted to help people because no one had been able to help my daddy. I missed him, even to this day. I probably always would. "Gabriella," she said, after being quiet for probably about fifteen minutes. I smiled at her. "Yes, Hannah?" She shifted slightly on the seat with her legs underneath her. "Is is stupid to still miss them?" I looked down at my latte that was no longer hot in my hand anymore, but it wasn't cold. I could still drink it well enough. It had been about the same amount of time since her parents had died since my mom had my father checked into the hospital. I uncrossed my legs and crossed the other one over the one I had just uncrossed, shaking my head gently. "No, Hannah. It's not stupid for you miss them. You can miss them forever. It's not stupid." I knew I had to choose my words carefully with her. With some people I could say they could miss them for the rest of their life, but since she had tried taking her life more than once, that was not the wisest choice of words. You had to choose the right words around patients, especially around certain patients. Hannah was one of them. She nodded her head, curling over and resting her head on the armrest, almost curling up into a ball. "I dreamed about them last night," she told me, her voice small and frail. I knew if she was telling me this, it was a good thing she had even showed up here at all today. I remained silent, letting her tell me about the dream. "They were still here. They were here with me. They didn't..." She was quiet for a moment, pausing before saying the one word that she hates saying, the word that solidifies how miserable she feels her life is. "...die." I nodded my head slowly, looking down at my cup of cinnamon latte. "And then I woke up," she barely whispered and I looked up at her. The tears were quietly falling from her eyes. "They didn't have to die..." she whispered, weeping into her arms on the armrest. "I just wish that I could stay asleep and they weren't dead." I knew she missed them and she would probably do anything to bring them back, but there wasn't anything she could do to bring them back. They were gone. "I know I can't, but I want to," she said, crying more into her arms on the chair.

I let her cry for the rest of the hour. She didn't say anything else. I felt bad that she cried, and I knew I couldn't say anything to make her feel any better, so I let her cry. The clock on my desk clicked to signal the end of the appointment. "I'll see you next week, right Hannah?" I hoped every week I would. I was more concerned with her today than most. She sat up, taking a deep breath, wringing her hands. "I'll be here, Gabriella." I knew even though she said she'd be here, that wasn't a confirmation. I wouldn't know she'd actually be here until I saw her in the waiting room next Thursday. We made all our appointments two or three in advance. I smiled, standing up and she stood, walking toward me as I took a step to the door, opening it for her so I could walk her to the waiting room. "Remember, Hannah, you can call down here any time, day or night. I'm here during the day, and they can get a hold of me during the night." She nodded, still wringing her hands. "I know, Gabriella." I placed my hand on her back as we came to the door to the waiting room. I liked her to feel like she was in a safe from the moment she walked in here till the moment she left. "Smile." I said, softly, as I opened the door out to the waiting room. She barely gave me a weak smile as she walked past me. "Bye," she shrugged, her smile not even meeting her eyes. I smiled at her watching as she walked out the front door, pulling the door shut and smiling at the receptionists before walking back to my office to wait for my next patient. I shut my office door behind me, sitting back at my desk and pulling up my schedule on my computer again. I hoped I didn't have any more really emotionally draining patients. I wouldn't ever give any of them up. I was always here for them, and they didn't ever affect me, but I always felt bad for them, and I did miss my father when I had patients like Hannah. There were other times I missed him, but I missed him the most when I was with patients like Hannah. Daddy was worse than Hannah, but I missed him because of patients like Hannah.

The intercom on my phone sounded and Shanelle's voice sounded through the speaker, "Gabriella, your ten o'clock is here." I leaned forward, pressing the button on the phone. "Thank you, Shanelle." I stood from my desk, walking out of my office and down toward the waiting room, opening the door. "Travis and Gina?" I called to them, smiling. They looked up at me from where they sat holding hands on the couch. "Would you like to come back with me?" They both nodded, and the guy stood up, helping the girl stand. She had to be well into her third month of her pregnancy. From the intake worker's assessment over the phone, she had told me that they were an engaged couple expecting to get married in May. By the way Gina looked, I would say that would be right after she gave birth. I stepped back, letting both of them back into the hallway. "How are you today?" I asked both of them. Gina looked down at her stomach and back up at me. "Ready for a nap." From the sound of her voice, I was sure that warranted a laugh, but I gave her a smile, nodding. "You can rest on my couch if you'd like?" She laughed, shaking her head. "That's alright. I can wait an hour." Travis laughed along with her. "She's always napping." I wasn't here only for depression counseling, I did marriage counseling, premarriage counseling, grief counseling and children, family and adolescent counseling. I wanted to be able to help as many people as possible. I was available for short-term counseling, long-term and mediation.I opened the door into my office and let the couple walk in before walking in myself and shutting the door behind us. "Oh, that is nice!" Gina said, looking at the waterfall on the wall as she sat down on the couch with Travis' help. I took a seat in my office chair, crossing one leg over the other as Travis sat down beside Gina. "Thank you," I said, leaning back against the back of the seat. "I have a small fountain with cherubs and pots that sits on my counter at home in the kitchen," Gina said, crossing one leg over the other. I smiled, reaching to pull my laptop over onto my lap. During my first appointments, even though the intake workers did their assessments, I always did my own first appointment evaluation just to get a feel for the patients to get a feel for where things would go with them. "That sounds really pretty. I like cherubs myself. I actually picked that one out and brought it in here," I said, pointing to the one against the wall.

"Diane said you two are getting married in May?" I asked, looking up at them after bringing up the new folder with their information in it. "Six weeks after the baby is born," Gina told me, rubbing her stomach. I nodded, adding that to the system. I had pretty much thought so when I saw them. "How long have you known each other?" I asked. Usually I thought that couples counseling should be done by a religious leader if they were going to be married in a church anyhow. I was a religions person, had been since birth. Mama had made a point of it and I was thankful for it. It kept me centered and focused. "Three years," Travis answered and I nodded, inputting the answer into the computer. At least he hadn't gotten her pregnant and wasn't marrying her just for that. "Have you two been in a steady relationship for the entire three years?" The two of them looked at each other and a part of me was sure there had been indiscretions in the past. Possibly recent past. "Off and on," Travis answered, looking back at me. I observed Gina looked down at her stomach. I ran my forefinger over the mouse touchpad on the laptop sitting on my lap. The mouse skimmed across the screen. "How long have you been together this last time?" I asked, moving my fingers back to the keyboard. Gina looked back up at me, smiling, not as brightly as before. "Almost six months." I nodded, looking down at my computer screen. I was certain that was less time than the amount of time she was pregnant. Either she had gotten pregnant while they were together before or she was pregnant with another man's child. I wasn't sure. "There are a few avenues of options we can explore here," I said, pulling the laptop closer to me as I spoke to them. "And we can explore both of them. "We can meet all three of us like this every week for up to six weeks after the wedding. We can also meet individually, one on one, for up to six weeks after the wedding." This was in case there was anything one of them needed to discuss that they didn't feel comfortable talking about with their partner present. It happened, even with couples completely committed to the idea of marriage. The idea was for them to be able to discuss their issues with some one else in hopes that they would be able to find a way to talk about them with each other. It didn't always work, but it was a way for them to work toward that. Only by offering those options would I have a better understanding of the couples I was working with to know what I was dealing with. Travis and Gina looked a each other and quietly talked it over between the two of them before turning back to me, both of them nodding. "Alright," Travis said. Gina smiled. "We'll do both of them." Travis looked at Gina and then back at me. "Great." I smiled, pushing the laptop back out from my chest. With what Diane had collected and what I had learned in the few minutes sitting here with them, I was ready to let them go for the day and have the rest of the hour to myself, which was good, considering my next patient, Grant Ryan, was always early, part of his OCD. "Let's set up each of your next appointments and you can go for the day," I told them, sliding through my schedule to next week.

I set their appointments and placed my laptop back on the desk before turning back to them, smiling, placing my hands together. "Good. So, I'm looking forward to our sessions together!" I stood up and Travis stood first, helping Gina stand. "Thank you, Doctor Montez." I shook my head, taking a step to the door. "It's not doctor. I only have my Masters. Masters of Psychology." He looked like he had stepped in a giant cake. I bit my lip, trying not to laugh. "Oh, I'm sorry." I shook my head. "That's alright. I'm not too far off." I was finishing my degree online so I could be here with Mama in Albuquerque. I didn't mind the move, and the job here at Samaritan was really nice. Plus, it was more than helping me pay for my house here. I loved living here and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I opened the door and walked out into the hall with them. "When is the wedding date?" I asked them, walking toward the waiting room. "May 2," Gina said, taking Travis' hand in hers. I smiled over at them. "That's right around the corner." She smiled brightly. Gina rubbed her stomach. "My due date is in twelve days. The doctor says we have to wait six weeks before we can have sex," Gina said and I turned my head forward. It wasn't as though I was a prude, but sometimes I just didn't expect people to come right out with things like that, especially when I just met them. I knew about certain things like that, but I didn't expect Gina to tell me right out like that. "Gina, I don't think our counselor needs to know about our sex life," Travis said in a hushed tone. I tried not to laugh, looking back at them, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. "No, that's alright. If Gina's comfortable enough sharing, you can share anything with me." Gina smiled, almost in triumph back at Travis. "See, I can share anything with her. She's a girl, she understands." I couldn't help but giggle slightly, opening the door for the both of them. "I'll see you next week, Gina." Gina smiled back at me. "Bye, Ms. Montez." I shook my head, "Call me Gabriella." She nodded quickly. "Bye, Gabriella!" I smiled, waving at both of them, shutting the door and heading back to my office.


	3. Crossing Paths

I parked my Toyota Prius in the short-term parking at the Albuquerque Sunport, engaging the alarm and tugging my purse over my arm. I had driven here straight from work. My last appointment had been at six o'clock and had lasted forty-five minutes. I knew that if I didn't leave directly after, I wouldn't get here in time. I checked my watch on my wrist, reading 7:08. I was right on time. I walked across the lanes of traffic after exiting the parking garage into the terminals toward baggage claim. Turning toward the reader board, I scanned for Taylor's flight and noticed that it had already landed and that her bags were coming in on the turnstile a few down. I walked down to see if I could find them by the time she got down here. We were both very efficient people and I knew she'd be very pleased if I had her bag ready to go when she got down here. I walked over to the turnstile and started to look for the bag. Scanning through all of them, I watched as bag after bag started to roll by. Then I saw it. It started to come closer and I reached out to grab it, only to grab it at the same time as some one else. "Excuse me, that is MY bag!" I looked up to see my best friend in the world who's tired and stern face immediately melted away to the brightest smiled in the wold. "Gabbbbbbbby!" I giggled and returned the hug she was already wrapping around my shoulders, wrapping my arms around her waist. "Tay!" We both jumped around, even though I was sure we'd both had the longest day, her in classes, me at work, but it had been so long since we'd seen each other, a little girlish behavior was definitely warranted.

Pulling back, I smiled at Taylor, holding her hands in mine. My purse had fallen off down to where our hands were connected, but I didn't care. "I'm so glad you're here, Taylor!" She continue to jump up and down even as we held hands. "Gabby, I'm so happy to be home and here with you!" I smiled, letting go of one of her hands and pulling my purse back up onto my arm. "Should we get going? Are you hungry? We can pick up something on the way home or we can make something when we get there?" I wasn't the best cook and neither was she, but we could both put together something from a box. Yes, we'd both had a long day, but we could easily make something to eat before falling down down on the couch and catching up on the couch for hours until we dragged ourselves back to our rooms. It was a good thing tomorrow was Saturday so I didn't have to worry about getting up for work. We could sleep in and have breakfast probably at eleven because we probably wouldn't go to bed until two or three in the morning. I knew how Taylor and I were when we got together. We talked about everything. It was how I knew about things, even things I'd never done before. She'd told me about her and Chad all the time. One thing about her and Chad, they didn't like PDAs and didn't kiss or hug and and she told me they barely held hands when they were out with each other, but she told me when they were with each other alone, they were crazy sexually. She'd tell me all about the things they did sexually. She knew even though I was a virgin it didn't bother me. I had patients telling me things all the time things that were far worse than what she could tell me. I had to hear about rape and other horrible things. Talking to Taylor about her sex life didn't bother me any. Girls talked about guys, and if she wanted to share that stuff, I'd talk about it with her. I didn't have a boyfriend or a sex life to talk about with her, otherwise, I probably would talk about it with her too. It was what we did and we both enjoyed it. I talked about fantasies and dreams I'd had though. We'd probably still do it when we were both married and had children, but I was sure that was a long ways off for both of us, farther off for me than her considering I'd never even had a boyfriend.

I'd dated while I was at Yale, but I'd never done anything with any of them. Sure, they'd kissed me, but I'd never done anything more than that. I wasn't ready for more than that. I was concentrating on my education and now my career. I didn't need anyone else in my life. I'd much rather concentrate on my career than get involved with some one who I didn't have time to get to know. It wasn't as though I didn't want to get to know someone, but I was too involved in my career and in spending time with my mother to devote myself to anyone or a relationship. It wouldn't be fair to them, a relation we could have or to myself. Taylor turned back to pull her suitcase from the turnstile, taking the pulling handle up from the bag and dragging it behind her as we started to walk. "Lets go," she said. "I really don't like airports!" I giggled, wrapping my arm around hers as we walked through the terminal and out into the seventy degree weather of the Albuquerque evening. "Ahh! I'm so glad to be home. Don't get me wrong, I love New Haven, but it's not Albuquerque. It's not home." I completely agreed with her. I mean, I had lived several places throughout the years, but I hadn't ever felt as at home as I did here. I guess it was because I actually owned my own home here. I had a career here and I wasn't going to be uprooted by Mama's or Daddy's jobs. I was actually settled here and I loved it. Taylor could come here and stay here with me when she wanted to. My life was perfect here and I wouldn't trade it for anything. We crossed the lanes of traffic toward the parking garage and I lead her toward my garage. "I only wish I didn't have to work while you were here," I told her, walking with her down the row of parked cars. "That's alright, Gabriella. Chad said his professors didn't mind if he brought me to classes with him." I shook my head, pulling my keys out of my purse. She loved school more than I did, going to school on days that she didn't have to. She was on school break and she was choosing to go to school with Chad. But that was Tay for you. She'd probably go to school with her children when she and Chad had them if they wanted her to and their teachers allowed it. I unlocked the car and popped the trunk so she could put her suitcase in the back. She dropped it down in the trunk and I pulled the lid down before walking around to open my door to get in.

* * *

I crossed the lanes of traffic toward the terminal toward baggage claim to pick up Ryan carrying Tress on my hip. Ryan's flight got in at 7:22 and I was running a little late. I thought I'd heard Taylor's voice when I'd come through the doors of the terminal, but when I'd turned, I couldn't see her anywhere. Besides, she wasn't coming in until Sunday. She'd told Chad she was taking an early flight and they were having and early dinner with her parents. She hadn't liked me much in high school, but over the years she and I had begun to see eye to eye on things. I was sure it was because of Tress. When I was in high school she was sure I was just a dumb jock, a lot like Chad, but she had somehow fallen in love with him, so I guess it was a combination of the two of them. I hadn't wanted to bring Tress with me down here to the airport, but when she heard I was coming to pick up Uncle Ry, she wouldn't let me leave Grandma Lucy's and Uncle Jack's without her. I turned toward the arrivals board and looked to find his flight. Not just his flight, but all flights were arriving early. I sighed heavily. "There's my little Tressa Cakes!" I heard from behind me as Tress started to squirm in my arms and squeal right in my ear. "UNCLE RY!" My eyes shot open wide as I turned around to see Ryan Evans walking toward us, his smile big and bright, his arms opened wide for the biggest hug from his only niece who was jumping to get down from my arms. "Daddy, lemme go! Lemme go!" I leaned down, letting her jump down from my arms, which she did with still two feet to go till her feet hit the ground.

She ran over to Ryan, jumping up into his arms. Ryan stood leaving his suitcases by his side, wrapping his arms around her tightly and spinning her around. "Tressa, my dancing princess! Lord almighty, have I missed you!" He pulled back to look at her before pulling her back in and laying a big wet one on the side of her face. "You are looking more and more like your mommy every time I see you!" He pulled back to look at her again. "I brought you lots and lots of surprises, but one big one in particular, are you ready?" Tress nodded really big over and over. "YESSSS!" Ryan turned his head, looking around the baggage claim area. "She went to use the little girls room. She should be," he looked over to me, still speaking before looking around again, "let me know if you see her, Troy." I shook my head. "Who?" I shook my head, a little confused. He turned his head back to me, smirking and winking at me. "My _fiancée_." He turned back to looking for whoever he was looking for and my jaw dropped. "Her?" I was speechless. I didn't know what to say. "Her?" I couldn't help but repeat myself. He had really said her, or at least I was pretty sure he had said her. "Ah, there she is," he said, holding his arm up to _her_, and I turned my head to see who _she_ was. Blinking when I saw _her_. And I knew exactly who _she_ was. "Kelsi?" I asked as she stepped into his free arm, kissing him before looking over at my daughter. "Is this Tressa?" Her eyes widened and she looked over at me smiling brightly. "This is yours and Sharpay's daughter?" I nodded. It was all I could do. I was still stuck on Ryan being engaged... to a girl. Never mind that it was Kelsi Nielsen. Kelsi and I had been... friends in high school, or as much as I was friends in high school with girls, but him being engaged to her wasn't the part that was causing me to be stuck five minutes behind the conversation. "This is only the second time I've seen her, but she's adorable, Troy!" I was only able to nod yet again, unable to find my voice.

She turned back to Tress, smiling brightly at her. "I knew your mommy, Princess. My name's Kelsi. I'm your Uncle Ryan's girlfriend." Ryan scoffed, pulling her closer to him, even though he was holding him right against her. "Excuse me!" He almost growled and my eyes widened. I was trying so hard to gather my thoughts, my head still wrapping around the fact that my friend, Ryan Evans, my daughter's uncle, wasn't ... gay. She blushed, looking up at him and then back to Tressa. "Sorry, I'm still getting used to this. I'm your Uncle Ryan's fiancée." Tress reached out, my perfect daughter, friendly with everyone, even people she'd just met, well, met to the point of recognizing them, playing with Kelsi's floppy hat as it hung slightly off her head. "What's a fee on say?" Ryan laughed, this time kissing my daughter's forehead. "A fiancée is someone you marry when you fall in love with them and you realize you can't spend another minute without them." He turned to look down at Kelsi, sharing a smile with her before pressing his lips against hers for a brief moment. Tressa turned to look at me, a really serious look on her face. "Daddy, you're never going to have a fee on say." Kelsi started to laugh, covering up her mouth with her and quickly, but Ryan didn't even attempt to stop his laughter. "And why do you say that, angel girl?" She took a short breath, letting it out heavily. Ryan lowered his laughter, listening to Tress as she spoke here in the noisy terminal. "Acause you spend all your time with me when you're not at the clinic or at school. You're never going to get married." My eyes widened and I looked at Ryan who was actually trying not to laugh now. "Daddy?" I looked back at my daughter. "Yes, Tress?" She bit frowned slightly, looking back at Ryan who stopped laughing completely before they both looked back at me. "Do you not have a fee on say because you're still in love with Mommy?" Tress, Ryan and Kelsi's eyes were all glued directly on me. I was sure both Ryan and Kelsi knew the answer to that question. I had never been in love with Sharpay, but I wasn't going to tell my daughter that. Taking a deep breath, I walked over, taking my daughter in my arms from her uncle, wrapping her legs around my waist and looking into her big beautiful blue eyes. "The real reason I don't have a fiancée, angel girl, is because I want to spend all of my free time with you for right now." I smiled brightly at her, holding her tightly to me. "I'm too busy with school and with work that all I want to do with my free time when I come home at night and on my weekends is spend time with you." She smiled brightly, wrapping her arms around my neck tightly. "That's ok, Daddy! You can be my fee on say until you graduate!" And then she pulled back, grabbing the collar on my jacket. "And then I will find you a girlfriend!"

Ryan and Kelsi laughed behind her and I turned so both Tress and I shook my head. "You two ready to go?" Ryan nodded, leaning down to pick up the bags. "I can take one, Ryan," I told him, taking a step forward. "Oh, come on, guys. I can take my own suitcase!" Kelsi said, her hands planted on her hips. "Nonsense!" Ryan said, handing me the handle to one of the suitcases. "Thanks, buddy," he said, handing it to me. I nodded, taking the suitcase, turning Tress to sit on my side, holding her closely. I nodded to him as Kelsi wrapped her arms around Ryan. "Thank you, Troy," Kelsi said as she and Ryan walked along beside Tress and me toward the doors of the terminal. I shook my head. "For carrying your bag? It's not a big deal." She shook her head. "No, not that. Well, yes, but for picking us up and the ride, all of it. Thank you." I laughed, nodding. "You're welcome." I looked from her and over to Ryan as we walked through the doors. "So, engaged?" Ryan nodded proudly, looking down at Kelsi. "And couldn't be happier!" I could tell that she was blushing before she turned her face into his shoulder. "Took you long enough!" I said, chuckling slightly. Not that I had even known about them, but I was referring mostly to how long it had been since high school. I knew they had been best friends in high school. I didn't know it had been more than that, or even if it had been, but I knew they had both gone off to Juliard together. Maybe they had been together the whole time. Kelsi turned her head back to me and I was sure I saw tears in her eyes. "Well its not for lack of him trying, I can promise you that much!" I looked back at Ryan, my eyes wide. "It's true, Troy!" Kelsi looked back up at Ryan. "He's probably asked me ten times. I've never told him no, I just never gave him a definite yes." He smiled down at her before looking back at me and then at the crossing cars before we started to cross the street toward the parking structure. "You can never say Ryan isn't a persistent one!" I said, walking toward the elevator. "Dadddddddy?" I looked up at her as I held her close to me. "Yes, angel girl?" She looked at me, big puppy dog eyes shining down at me. "Can I push the buttons, pleeeeeeaaaaseeee?" I laughed, helping her down to her feet so she could push the button. "Down?" she asked. I nodded. "Yep." She pushed the button and it opened automatically. "Number one, right? The star?" I nodded again. "Yep." She pushed the button inside the elevator and started dancing around in the elevator as the rest of us filed in behind her.


	4. Breakfast Dinner plans

The next morning, I woke up and got ready for the day. Taylor had planned on spending the day with Chad, surprising him this morning, but she wanted to make him breakfast and take it over to the dorm. Even through his parents lived here in Albuquerque, he chose to live down in the dorms. I walked out of my room, brushing my hair and looked into Taylor's bedroom. She was still asleep. I thought I'd let her get her rest and I'd make breakfast for the two of them. I knew she'd want me to come in and meet him, but I was going to let them have their time alone. Tay and I had already had our time to catch up last night and she was staying here with me, so I thought they'd need all the alone time they could have together. I walked into the kitchen and put my brush down on the counter, using the hair tie on my wrist to wrap my hair up into a bun at the back of my head. Deciding on making waffles for the two of them, I turned on the water in the sink and washed my hands. Drying my hand on the hand towel hanging on the hook beside the sink, I turned to the cupboard and started to gather the necessary items needed to make them. I turned on the tiny television on my counter, turning the volume down, to watch CNN. I never had time to watch TV, but when I did, CNN was pretty much all I watched. It was nice to know what was going on in the world even if I was too busy to pick up a newspaper.

Taylor came walking in a little while later, yawning widely. "Good morning, sleepy head," I joked, smiling over at her. "What do you think you're doing?" She walked over, seeing breakfast was almost finished. "I was supposed to do that!" I shook my head, laughing slightly. "It's ok. You were tired, so I thought I'd get breakfast ready and you could sleep and then get ready while I did. So go on. Go shower. I'll finish making breakfast so we can go when you're finished." Taylor pursed her lips at me, taking a deep breath. "Fine, but I'm not going to forget this!" I shook my head, smiling at her. "You're welcome," I giggled, continuing to make breakfast for the two of them as she left the room. I made some homemade syrup and also defrosted some blueberries from the freezer to make a blueberry drizzle for them to use if they wanted that. I had some strawberries and whip cream, so I packed them up as well in case they wanted strawberry waffles. I put the half-gallon of milk I had in my fridge in a small cooler before putting it in the picnic basket with the rest of the food. I wanted them to have a good meal. I secured the plates and glasses in the basket and closed it, setting it aside on the counter as I walked back into my bedroom to get my purse and keys.

"I'm so excited for you to meet Chad!" Tay told me as we parked in front of his dorm building. "He's thrilled too!" I smiled at her, stepping out of the car, looking over the top of it. "I'm excited to meet him too, Tay!" We walked around the front of the car and I handed her the basket as she led us toward his door. She knocked and we waited, trying not to giggle. She was so excited just to be able to see him, and I thought it was sweet of her that she was surprising him like this. He didn't even know she was in town yet, but here she was showing up with a basket of breakfast for the two of them. After a few moments, the door opened and Taylor squealed, "Surprise!" The guy on the other side of the door stood there with only his boxers on, dumbstruck. "Cat got your tongue, babe?" Tay asked, giggling as she stepped forward, wrapping her arm around him and kissing him deeply. I averted my eyes, biting my lip slightly. "I can't believe you're here! You're not supposed to be here till tomorrow!" He said, looking her over. "I wanted to surprise you, babe!" she said before turning back to me, her arm still wrapped around him. "Chad, this is Gabriella, my bestest friend in the whole world. Gabriella, this is Chad," she said, looking back at him, "my wonderful boyfriend!" He accepted her quick kiss before turning to look at me. "It's good to finally meet you, Gabriella! Come in. I'll get some clothes on." He looked back at Taylor and at the basket, asking as we walked in with him, "What's this?"

"Gabriella made breakfast for us," Taylor told him as Chad shut the door behind us. "Just for you two," I said as Chad picked up a shirt off a chair and pulled it on over his head. Taylor looked over at me, shaking her head. "What? What about you?" I smiled between the two of them. "I thought you two could use some time alone together. You can call me later. I just wanted to do this for you two. Don't argue with me. I didn't pack enough plates for me to have one." It was a cheap way to get out of staying if they insisted, but I was insistent on them spending some time together. "That's very nice of you, Gabriella. Thank you. I've missed my girl." Taylor rolled her eyes, elbowing him softly. "He's such a sentimental softy." I giggled with her for a moment and she nodded. "Thanks, Gabby. I'll call you later, ok?" I smiled, opening the door. "You two have fun. It was nice meeting you, Chad. I'll see you later." Chad walked over to the door, taking it from me. "It was nice to meet you, Gabriella. We'll definitely do something later. All three of us." I nodded, smiling up at him. "Sounds good. See you two later." I walked back to my car and drove off. Breakfast at Starbucks sounded good this morning. Deciding to go to my favorite one, I drove toward the Starbucks on Central.

* * *

I awoke Saturday morning to a very pretty face sleeping on the pillow beside me. I hadn't even heard her come in during the night and I wondered how long she'd actually been in the room with me. It didn't matter. If she needed to be in here with me, she was welcomed in here any time. I slid down a little more in the bed, turning to face her and wrapping my arm around her. I was glad it was Saturday and I didn't have to go to work or anything. Saturday and Sunday were our days and we could do whatever we wanted to do. Right now I just wanted to lay in this bed and enjoy this moment with my daughter. She was sleeping, but she was the most tender thing in my life. I wasn't about to miss out on this for the world. But even as I wrapped my arm around her, she stirred, snuggling nearer to me. "Good morning, Daddy," she mumbled into my chest, wrapping her tiny arm around me. "Good morning, angel girl. Did you sleep well?" She let her head fall back against my arm, smiling up at me. "I did. Did you?" Running my fingers through her hair, I leaned forward, pressing my lips softly to her little forehead. "I did, angel. Thanks to you." She giggled up at me, waking up a little more. "Me? What did I do, Daddy?"

I smiled down at her, blissfully enjoying the sound of her little laughter as it filled my room. "Well, I had you by my side and Daddy always dreams about his angel." She smiled brightly at me, "Was mommy in it too, Daddy?" I looked into her beautiful blue eyes and shook my head. "No, baby. Mommy wasn't in it. It was just you and me." He looked down, obviously trying not to be upset. "What were we doing?" I lifted her head up to look at her again, making sure she was looking at me. "We were having a picnic in the snow." Her eyes widened, smiling brightly up at me. "In the snow? Daddy, that's silly!" I laughed, nodding my head. "Yes it is. It's very silly. But we did it. And we had fun." She giggled, wrapping her arms around my neck, hugging me tightly. "I love you, Daddy!" I smiled, hugging her tightly to me. "Daddy?" she asked, pulling her head back, looking up at me. "Can we have Starbucks for breakfast?" I nodded my head, running my fingers through her hair. "Of course we can, angel girl. Why don't you go get dressed and I'll get dressed too?" She nodded, jumping up and out of my arms, crawling out of my bed and running out of the room.

I laughed at my perfect little girl, pushing myself to sit up in the bed. I stood up, walking over to the dresser, pulling out a Wildcat T-shirt and some jeans and some socks. I pulled my tank top off my head and pulled my pajama bottoms off, tossing them on the bed. I pulled the T-shirt over my head and pulled the jeans on before sitting down on the bed to pull my socks on. I leaned over the bed and picked up my sneakers from under the bed, pulling them on and tying each of them. Standing up, I walked into the bathroom to brush my teeth. Flipping on the light, I grimaced at my reflection and reached over to turn on the water. I leaned over the sink slightly, getting my hands wet, and ran my fingers through my hair. Couldn't go anywhere with bedhead. Standing up straight, I looked at myself in the mirror. Better. I brushed my teeth and flipped off the light, heading out of the bathroom. Tress came running into the room wearing a pink dress with daffodils on the skirt, brush in her hand and a pony tail elastic. "Pony tail, Daddy?" I nodded. "That's an easy one. I can do that." She giggled, jumping up on my bed and handing me the brush. I brushed her hair up and gathered it into my hand. "Elastic?" She handed it to me and I twisted it around her hair before running the brush through the tail a few more times. "There you go, angel girl. All done." She turned around, wrapping her arms around my neck and jumping against me. "Ok, Daddy! Time to go!" I nodded, walking with her out of the room and grabbing my keys and wallet off of the table in the kitchen, sliding them in my pocket.

* * *

I walked into the Starbucks and up to the counter. There wasn't a line because the regular morning breakfast crowd was already gone. "Hi, Gabriella," the barista greeted me. "Grande cinnamon latté?" I nodded at him, and looked at the food items. "Yes, Jimmie, and an 8-grain roll please." He nodded, picking up a grande cup and writing on it before entering the order into the cash register. He told me my total and I handed him my credit card, laying my wallet on the counter as he swiped it through the machine. He placed my card and a pen down on the counter, ripping the receipt out of the machine, placing it on the counter by the pen. I picked up the pen and signed my name on the line and he handed me my copy. "I'll have that right up for you," he said, picking up the pen and I picked up my card, slipping it back in my wallet, sliding it back into my hobo purse. "Thank you, Jimmie." I turned and found a table not too far from the counter. I pulled my phone out of my purse and shuffled through my work schedule for Monday. Even when I wasn't working, I was always thinking about work. I had dedicated my life to my job and I wasn't about to stop doing the work I love just because I have a weekend.

My phone rang and I accepted the call, holding it up to my ear. "Good morning, Mom. How was your night?" I haven't spoken to her for a few days and I hadn't been over in more than a week. I knew she was missing me. "I'm just sitting down to eat breakfast. How are you?" She was a little tired from just getting off work and she was ready to crawl into bed, but she wanted to give me a call and check in on me. "I'm alright, Mom. I picked up Taylor from the airport last night and we stayed up late catching up." Mom was glad to hear the Taylor got in safely and told me I had to bring her over for dinner one night this week while she was here. "I promise. We'll figure out a night and I'll call you, Mom." Happy with that answer, she told me she was going to go to bed and I smiled. "Rest well. Bye." I turned off the phone and looked up at Jimmie as he brought my roll and latté. "Thank you, Jimmie," I said, sliding my phone into my purse. He nodded, smiling down at me. "Enjoy, Gabriella." I smiled and picked up my coffee, taking a sip from it.

* * *

I parked the truck on the side of the building and reached over to undo Tressa's seat belt. "Come on, angel girl." She climbed over into my arms and I slid out of the cab, shutting the door. I walked with her on my hip around to the front of the building, opening the door and walking in with her. "Same as usual, angel?" She nodded her head. "Can I order, Daddy?" I nodded as we walked up to the counter. "Good morning, Jimmie. How's your day going?" Jimmie leaned over the counter, smiling at Tress. "Good. How's my favorite customer?" he asked Tress, taking her hand as she reached out to him. "Good, Jimmie! Daddy and I are here for breakfast!" Jimmie closed his other hand on top of Tressa's hand, giving it a soft squeeze. "I'm so glad you decided to come in this morning. I love seeing your beautiful smile." She smiled brightly, looking back at me, taking her hand from Jimmie's and hugging me tightly. "Daddy loves my beautiful smile too, don't you, Daddy?" I kissed the side of her head. "More than you know, angel girl." Jimmie smiled at both of us, asking, "What can I get the two of you today? Your usual, Sunshine?" She smiled brightly, nodding her head quickly. "Hot chocolate and a raspberry scone, yes!"

He nodded, putting it into the cash register, picking up a kids cup off the stack and placing it down on the counter. "And for your daddy?" She looked up at me and back at Jimmie. "He wants coffee," she told him, looking back at me. "What else, Daddy?" I smiled at Tress, turning to look at Jimmie. "A sausage and cheddar sandwich would be good today." He nodded. "Good. Grande coffee?" I nodded. "That's good." He picked up a grande cup and wrote his usual scribblings on it, looking back up at me, telling me the total. Reaching in my pocket, I shifted Tress slightly to hold her better. "Oooh, can I pay, Daddy?" I smiled at her, handing her my wallet. "Go ahead, angel." She opened my wallet, taking out my debit card, handing it over to Jimmie. He took the card, bowing his head to her. "Thank you, sweetie." She giggled and looked back over at me. "Can I sign the paper, Daddy?" I laughed, shaking my head. "No, Tress. Daddy has to sign." She scrunched up her face, pouting, nodding her head slowly. "Ok, Daddy." Jimmie handed me a pen and the slip and I signed my name, handing him back the pen and handing Tress my card so she could put it away. Jimmie handed me my copy of the receipt and I took my wallet from Tress, putting it and the receipt in my pocket. "I'll have that right out to you." Nodding my head, I shifted Tress back onto my hip more, turning and walking with her to a table.

My phone rang in my pocket as I was sitting Tress down at the table and I pulled it out of my pocket, sitting on the other side of the table. "Hi, Chad," I answered after looking at the caller ID. _"Hey, man, what's up?"_ I looked over at my baby girl who was bouncing slightly on the chair, letting her legs sway back and forth under the table. "Tress and I are at Starbucks for breakfast. You?" I smiled down at Tress who reached up to me, asking, "Can I talk to Uncle Chad?" I held up my finger to her, whispering, "In a minute, angel." She put her hand down and continued to swing her legs. _"Just finished eating breakfast with Taylor."_ I narrowed my eyes off into the thin air. "Taylor? I thought her flight didn't get in until tomorrow." I knew because he had kept calling me and texting me, giving me countdown minutes and had been for more than a week now. _"She got an earlier flight and surprised me with breakfast this morning. Listen, what are you doing tonight, man?" _I hadn't made any plans. "Nothing. Why?" I could already hear the gears in Chad's head start whirring. _"Taylor and I were wondering if you wanted to have dinner with us."_ From the sounds of that, it didn't seem child friendly. "What are you trying to do, Chad?" I asked, knowing this wasn't about hanging out with him and his girlfriend. _"Nothing. I just want to spend some time with my girlfriend and my best friend. Is that a crime?" _No, it wasn't a crime, but I could hear it in his voice. He had something up his sleeve. "What is it, Chad? What aren't you telling me?"

He waited a second before answering. _"Can we have dinner at your place? You cook."_ Well, considering neither one of them knew how to cook, I was the likely choice. "Fine. What time?" I could hear the excitement in his voice when he replied. _"How's seven? We'll bring Taylor's friend with us. Think you can get your mom to watch my little Tressles?" _There it was. He was trying to set me up. Again. Only this time, he was using Taylor to do it too. "I don't know, Chad. Maybe we could do this some other time." Like maybe never. _"Oh, come on man! You'd really like her. She's really smart. She's a psychologist. And she's smokin' hot too!"_ I heard him laugh through the phone, telling someone, most likely Taylor, _"What? I've gotta tell the hermit that!" _Shaking my head, I took a breath. "I am not a hermit, Chad!" He laughed some more. _"What ever you say, buddy. But say you'll cook dinner for the three of us tonight."_ I looked over at Tress who was waiting patiently to use the phone. "Alright, but you've gotta ask permission from the boss."

I handed Tressa the phone and she put it to her ear. "Uncle Chad?" I watched as her bright blue eyes sparkled up at me as she talked to him. "I'm having breakfast with Daddy," she told him as Jimmie brought over our drinks and our food. "Thanks," I nodded to him, looking back at Tress and picking up my coffee. "You want Daddy to go on a date with you? That's silly, Uncle Chad!" I choked slightly on my coffee, swallowing it down roughly. "Oh, with a girl. Daddy can do that! I'll ask him if I can go over to Grandma Lucy and Grandpa Jack's and have a sleepover with Sophie." She bounced up and down on her chair, swinging her legs back and forth more. "I love you too, Uncle Chad! Bye bye!" She handed me the phone and I put it back to my ear. "So, I guess you got your wish," I said, shaking my head. _"Yeah. Tressles would do anything for me. Seven then? Your place?"_ I sighed heavily, nodding my head even though he couldn't see. "Seven it is." Chad had to be doing a dance by now, in triumph, I was sure of it. "Great! See you then, buddy!" I shook my head and put my phone back in my pocket, reaching to pick up my coffee when someone bumps into me and I almost spill my coffee all over myself.

I looked up to see a gentleman apologizing to the girl who still had her hand on my back, looking back at the man who just walked off, not even really meaning his apology, I was sure of it. I looked up to the brunette who looked down at me and I couldn't help but smile softly at her. "You alright, Miss?" She smiled, looking back at the door, the way the man had left before looking back at me. "I am. Sorry about that." I shook my head, finding myself lost in her dark chocolate eyes for a moment. "That's alright. I don't believe it was your fault." Her smile didn't fade as she pulled her purse up more on her arm. "No, but I'm sorry anyway. Did you spill your drink?" I looked down at myself and then back at her. "Nope. We're good. Are you sure you're alright?" She nodded, looking across the table at Tress and back at me. "I'm fine. I'm sorry I interrupted your breakfast." I shook my head, looking back at Tressa. "We're ok, right, angel girl?" She shook her head, biting into her scone and I turned back to the girl. "See. Everything's alright." She smiled down at me. "Good. Well, I need to be going. It was nice bumping into then." I laughed at her, smiling back at her. "Anytime." She smiled, maybe even blushed a little, tucking her hair behind her ear before turning and walking toward the door. Before leaving, she turned back and smiled, quickly turning her head back and walking out of the coffee shop. She probably hadn't expected me to still be watching as she walked out the door, but for some reason, I couldn't take my eyes off of her. But as she left my view, I turned my head back to Tress who was oblivious to my stupor and I picked up my roll to take a bite out of it. I'd never felt like that before and I realized I didn't even get the girl's name.


	5. Priorities and Dedication

"You've got to be kidding me!" I said as I drove back over to my place with Taylor. She was setting me up on a blind date, and she hadn't even asked if I was ok with it before telling the guy that I would be there. "No, I'm not kidding you, Gabby," Taylor said, shaking her head at me. "I think it will be fun if we all have dinner together. You're my best friend and he's Chad's best friend. Why shouldn't we do it?" I glanced over at her shrugging my shoulders. "Maybe because I don't have time for what you're hoping for?" And she played coy with me. "What am I hoping for?" As if she didn't know. "You're hoping that I'm going to go out with him more than just meeting him tonight. I don't have time for that, Tay. I'm too busy. My life is too busy." Taylor scoffed, shifting in the passenger seat. "You don't need to be so busy all the time. You need to make time for yourself, and that means getting out. Maybe seeing someone every now and then. And who knows? Maybe you'll like him." I shook my head, turning into my driveway, pushing the button on the ceiling of the car to open the garage. "Why are you so adamant on me meeting this guy?" I pulled into the garage, looking over at her as I parked. "Why are you so adamant not to?" I turned off the engine, dropping my keys in my purse and shaking my head.

"What's his name?" I asked, looking back at her. She beamed brightly, reaching out and taking my hand, excited that she had broken down my wall, or even put a crack in it. "His name is Troy. He's a really good guy. He's got the cutest little girl. She won't be there tonight, but I'm sure if you like him, you'll meet her someday." My mouth dropped open slightly, my eyes narrowing in on her. "Do you really think I'm going to want to start dating a guy just because he has a child?" If he had a child, who knew what kind of emotional history he had. He knew what kind of history he had. Where's the mother? Do they have a good relationship? There were so many questions about the issues he could have. I couldn't open myself to that kind of relationship with a man. I dealt with enough people's issues on a daily basis, I didn't need to deal with a man's issues in my personal life. "Why not? He's a good guy. He's a good father." I sighed, opening the door and sliding out of the car. Looking over to her as I shut the door and walked around the car toward the door to the laundry room. "I've told you, Tay. I'm not looking to get into a relationship."

We walked into the house together and Tay shut the door behind us. "Well good, because I took the looking for it out of the equation for you." Placing my purse down on the kitchen counter after walking into the room. "You don't give up, do you?" Taylor laughed, shaking her head. "No! Now say you'll come with us tonight." I leaned across the counter, letting go of a heavy sigh. "What time?" Taylor smiled in triumph, nodding quickly. "Seven. At his place. He's cooking." I shook my head, walking away from the counter toward the hall. She was doing everything she could to convince me that this was a good thing. "Fine. If we're having dinner, I've got to get ready to go." She laughed, following me down the hall and walking into her room. "You're going to have fun, Gabby! I promise you!" Shaking my head, I shut the door after walking into my room, walking over to the closet to get ready to go. I couldn't believe she had actually talked me into this, but then again, she had always gotten me to do things I didn't think I wanted to do. I was sure I didn't want to do this, but I'd never been able to say no to Taylor and I didn't think I'd be starting anytime soon.

* * *

"Troy, this is great!" Mom said after Tress ran into the TV room. "It's about time you got out of the house," she laughed. "Ok, so you're not really getting out of the house tonight but you're going to see someone! It's wonderful!" I rolled my eyes, shaking my head at her. "It's not a big deal, Mom. It's just dinner. And it's all four of us. Chad and Taylor will be there with us. It's not like we're really on a date." She nodded her head, rubbing my arm. "Well maybe it will turn into more!" I sighed slightly, "Mom!" She laughed, giving me a hug. "I just want to see you get yourself out there. Who knows? You may like this girl." I looked down into my mom's eyes, taking a breath. "I don't have time to like anyone, Mom. I don't have time to spend with anyone. Every moment I have that's free, you know I want to share it with Tressa." Mom took my hand in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I know, sweetie. But you can't be alone forever. Besides, Tressa does need a woman around, more than just me and Darby Evans."

I knew that she did. More than anything I knew she needed a woman around, but that didn't mean that I was going to jump into a relationship right now. I worked and went to school and by the time I was done with that I barely had enough time to spend with my daughter. I wasn't about ready to sacrifice any of my time with my daughter. I didn't know why people couldn't accept that. I knew they only had our best interests at heart, but the only girl I wanted in my life at this point in time was my angel girl. I had too much going on in my life that I wouldn't have time to devote to anyone else. I barely had enough time to spend with my family and Chad as it was. My study group had asked me to hang out with them more than once, but I always turned them down. Chad and I hardly ever hung out. And I was barely able to spend one night a week with my family. The only person I made a special effort to spend time with was my daughter, and even that was hard. My weekend was devoted to her and here I was having agreed to have dinner, cook dinner, for my friends who had set me up with some girl who would have her feelings hurt when she found out I wasn't interested in getting to know her. I didn't want to hurt some girl's feelings, especially if she was Taylor's best friend. I'd never hear the end of it, but I couldn't get involved.

"I understand, Mom," I told her, wrapping my arm around her. "I will see this girl tonight, but I can't promise anything beyond that." She looked up at me, hugging me tightly. "That's all I ask. Just have fun and try not to be so standoffish. Who knows? She may be a really great girl!" Shaking my head, stepped away from her, walking toward the TV room. "I'll be nice. I promise." I walked into the TV room, leaning over the back of the couch where Tressa was sitting on the couch with my sister. "Hey, angel girl." She looked up at me, turning to stand up on the couch and face me. "You going home now, Daddy?" I took her little hand in mine, kissing her tiny little fingers. "Yeah. I'm going. You have fun here with your Aunt Sophie and Grandma Lucy and Grandpa Jack. I'll be here first thing in the morning and we'll have breakfast here and then we'll have the entire day to ourselves. We'll do anything you want to do. Sound good?" She nodded, wrapping her arms around my neck, hugging me tightly. "Ok, Daddy! I love you!" I wrapped my arms around her, hugging her tightly. "I love you, angel girl. Sleep well!" She pulled back, nodding her head. "I will, Daddy. Sweet dreams!" Kissing her forehead, I stood up straight. "Sweet dreams." I looked over to Sophie. "Good night, sis." She waved her hand back at me, still watching the television. "Yeah yeah! Don't you have a date to get to?" Shaking my head, I laughed, leaning over and kissing Tressa's head again, whispering softly. "Good night, sweetie."

I left the house and headed over to my apartment. It wasn't that far from my parents' house. I had moved into this place close enough to my parents so it didn't take too long to get there so they could help me take care of Tress. I loved the place. It was just big enough for the two of us and rent wasn't that bad either. I managed my finances well enough, and within the year we'd be able to move into a house. I didn't want it to be too far away from my parents' house. I still needed their help with taking care of her. I wouldn't want more distance between us to make things harder on any of us. It wasn't as though I would ever move out of Albuquerque. This was our home and we'd never leave. I pulled into the parking lot, parking under the carport in my space before getting out of the truck and heading toward the door to the building. I opened the door and headed up the stairs to the second level where my apartment was. I had just a little under an hour before Chad would be here with Taylor and her friend. It would be just enough time to shower and get dressed and set the table. Dinner had been cooking since I left to take Tress over to my parents' place. It would be ready by the time I got out of the shower, and then I'd just keep it in the oven to keep it warm until they got here. I really wasn't looking forward to this. I'd much rather just hang out with Chad. I wouldn't even mind Taylor coming over. Tress could have stayed home and I wouldn't have to worry about meeting this girl that I was sure I wouldn't see ever again. But I had committed myself and they'd been here soon.

* * *

I ran out of my bedroom, hearing my cell phone ring from my purse. I was all ready to go to this dinner with Taylor and Chad at his friend's house except for my shoes. I pulled at the zipper on my dress, trying not to get my hair caught in it. I reached into my purse and pulled out the phone. I didn't have time to look at the caller ID. I was sure I was going to miss the call, but I pressed send and put the phone to my ear. "Hello? This is Gabriella." The voice on the other side of the line came in as if they were about to hang up, but heard me answer, so quickly pulled the phone back. "Gabriella Montez? This is Dr. Hart Mathison at the University of New Mexico Emergency Room." I sat down at the table, leaning back in the chair. "Yes, Doctor. What can I do for you?" I knew if a doctor was calling from the emergency room, things weren't good. I knew one of my patients had done something to hurt themselves and they needed me to come down. "One of your patients was brought into the E.R. a few hours ago. Hannah Winnick. She slit her wrists, but her roommate found her and brought her in. She lost quite a deal of blood and we've got a transfusion set up right now. But she woke up and she doesn't want to speak with the on-call psychiatrist here at the hospital. She says she'll only speak with you." I closed my eyes, leaning my head on my hand after propping my elbow up on the table. "Thank you, Doctor. I'll be there soon."

Hanging up the phone, I took a deep breath, sighing heavily. It wasn't good that she had done this. Not by any means, but I was glad she had asked for me. She could have spoken with the on-call psychiatrist, but asking for me showed that she trusted me. She could have refused to talk to anyone, but she asked for me. Taylor came into the room, stopping when she saw me sitting there like that. "Gabriella? Are you alright, honey? What is it?" I looked up at her, taking a deep breath, and standing. Slipping the phone in my purse, I nodded my head. "That was the hospital. One of my patients tried to commit suicide today. They need me to come down to see her." Taylor's head turned slowly over her shoulders as she struggled with accepting it before nodding slowly. "I guess that means you won't be able to make it for dinner." I shook my head walking over toward her. "I'm sorry, Taylor. But I have a job to do, even when I'm not on the clock." She nodded. "It's ok, Gabby. I understand. Hopefully the four of us can get together some other night while I'm here." I tried not to scoff, or even laugh for that matter. She wasn't about to let this go. "Yeah, alright." I walked past her into my bedroom to find my shoes. I wasn't about to change. Hannah needed me to get down there as soon as I could. I sat down on the bench at the foot of my bed and leaned over to pick up one of the shoes I had chosen to wear tonight, sliding it on my right foot. I picked up the other shoe and slid it on my left foot, standing up and smoothing down my dress.

Coming back out of the bedroom, I called to Taylor. "I'm really sorry about dinner, Tay." She came out of her bedroom. "That's ok. I already called Chad. He's on his way over to pick me up." I nodded, reaching into my purse to pull out my phone, my keys and my wallet. I would take my briefcase with me, not this purse. "Thank you for understanding, Tay," I said, walking into the living room to my desk, sliding out my chair where I kept my briefcase, putting my phone and my wallet in it, before picking it up. "You know where the spare key is if you get home before I do?" I asked, heading for the garage. "I do, Gabby. Just go. Don't worry about me. I'll see you either tonight or tomorrow." Nodding, I smiled at her and headed toward the garage door through the laundry room. "See you later," I said, leaving through the door, pressing the button on the wall near the door to open the garage, shutting the house door behind me. I walked down the stairs and walked around my car to get in the driver's side. I slid in and pulled the door shut, slipping my key in the ignition and starting the car before pulling out of the garage. I pushed the button on the ceiling of the car to close the garage and pulled out onto the street. I felt bad about having to cancel dinner, not because I wouldn't be meeting Chad's friend, but because I was letting Taylor down. I'd make it up to her and she knew it.

* * *

I straightened my shirt walking to the door after hearing the unmistakeable knock from my best friend. I had just finished setting the table and I was already for this semi-blind date. The chicken was staying warm in the oven and everything else was on the table waiting for us to sit down to eat. I walked out of the dining area through the living room to the front door, opening it to them. "Hey, man! Come in." Chad and Taylor walked in and I smiled down at Taylor. "It's good to see you, Taylor." I looked down the hall and back at them, still holding the door open. "Where's your friend?" Taylor sighed, shaking her head. "There was an emergency. She had to go into work." I narrowed my eyes in on her, slowly shutting the door. "Emergency? What kind of work does she do?" We walked into the dining area and Taylor answered. "She's a licensed clinical therapist. One of her patients needed her at the hospital. That's all I know. She had to go." I shook my head slightly, making a hmmph sound. "That's dedication. Being on call like that." I really was impressed. She wasn't even a psychologist or a psychiatrist, but she was committed to her patients as though she was. I really was impressed. "That's too bad," I continued. "Oh well. Let's not let that spoil dinner. Have a seat. I'll get the chicken out of the oven."

I walked into the kitchen and picked up the hot pad, opening the oven. Reaching in, I pulled out the chicken and shut the door. I placed the pan on the oven top, putting the hot pad down and grabbing the tongs. I put the chicken onto the serving platter piece by piece before putting the tongs down and picking up the plate. I walked into the dining area with the chicken and sat it down on the table. "How's Tressa, Troy?" I smiled, handing her the rice so she could start eating. "She's great. We picked up her Uncle Ryan at the airport last night. She was so excited. You guys will never believe it. He's engaged." Both of them looked at me shocked, freezing in serving the food onto their plates. "Ryan Evans?" Chad asked, trading Taylor the bowl of corn for the rice in her hand. "Is that legal?" I laughed, shaking my head. He thought the same thing I did. I'm sure everyone thought he was gay. "He's marrying Kelsi Nielsen." Chad almost dropped the bowl in his hand, slowly placing it down on the table. "No way! He's actually marrying a girl?" Taylor looked over at him, shocked he would say something like that. "What?" He grabbed his side after she slugged him slightly. "You mean to tell me you didn't think the same thing?" Taylor sighed, looking over at him almost glaring. "That's beside the point. You shouldn't be rude about it." She turned back to look at me. "Now we just need to get you involved with someone."

No one was going to let this go. Couldn't I get out there and do things on my own time? I wasn't ready for a committed relationship. It wouldn't be fair to the girl and I wouldn't want to get Tressa's hopes up or even worse. I didn't want her to feel like I was trying to replace her mommy. She had said we needed to get me a fiancée last night, but I was sure she really didn't know what that meant. If I got involved and she realized that girl could take her place as her mommy, even though she'd never known her mommy, she could get upset with me. I didn't want that to happen. When I did get involved with someone, I wanted to have had time to explain things to her and make sure she was alright with everything. I also didn't want her to feel like she was being neglected either. I loved her more than anything, and she would always come first in my life. Whoever I became involved with, whenever I became involved with them, she'd have to realize that and accept it. I couldn't have a girl who would expect me to neglect my daughter in anyway. She'd have to understand Tress is my number one or it would never work between us. "Can we just enjoy dinner and not talk about hooking me up? I know you guys want it, but you're just going to have to wait."

Chad picked up a piece of chicken, placing it on his plate before sucking off his fingers. "Whatcha waiting for, man? You can't be a hermit the rest of your life. And I sure as hell know it's not about Sharpay. You never loved that bitch." Rolling my eyes, I was glad Tress wasn't here. He was right. I had never loved Sharpay, but I sure as hell didn't want him talking about her mommy like that around her. "No, I didn't, but that doesn't mean that there are certain aspects that are keeping me from getting involved with anyone. And yes, one of them is inadvertently Sharpay. I don't want Tress to think I'm trying to replace her." Taylor reached across the table, taking my hand in hers. "Tress is a big girl. She'll understand when you do start dating someone. Besides, it would be good for her if you got out and dated. She needs to see that you're trying to live your own life, even when you are still completely dedicated to her. She loves you and I really don't think you have anything to worry about." Taking a deep breath, I shook my head and picked up the rice from the table, dishing some onto my plate. "Can we just not talk about it tonight? Let's just have a good dinner and enjoy our night." The two of them nodded, not pushing the subject anymore. Maybe if I was lucky, I wouldn't have to hear another word about it until Taylor came home for summer break.


End file.
